Winners in every sense, guard of honour for Ponting has tourists getting three cheers

Chris Barrett

South Africa's forming of a guard of honour for Ricky Ponting as he strode to the crease for the last time was met by an outpouring of admiration. Farewell gestures have come in all shapes and forms in cricket history. Don Bradman was given three cheers by Norman Yardley's England at the Oval in 1948 while Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Justin Langer were serenaded - by a singer, not the opposition - with the soppy Time to Say Goodbye at the tea break on day one at the SCG in 2007. The gesture for Ponting at the WACA Ground was a tear-jerker and on social media sent the popularity of the Proteas' captain of Graeme Smith sky-rocketing. South Africa's champion all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, was also all class, declining to celebrate as he closed Ponting's Test career with a catch in the slips, and then rushing to shake Ponting's hand, with hat removed. The sports broadcaster Andy Maher summed up the reaction as well as anyone. He tweeted: ''Rarely met a decent South African during my backpacking years, but Graeme Smith and his mob might convince me they're a quality lot.''

Speaking of Bradman's farewell, the Tonk's esteemed colleague Malcolm Knox recounts that famous occasion in his new book Bradman's War. Over to you, Knoxy: ''Yes, Yardley, England's captain, did lead the three cheers at the Oval, but he said to Eric Hollies: 'That's all we'll give him - then bowl him out.' When Hollies did so, no England player spared a moment's mercy for Bradman. As Bradman walked off, Hollies quipped, 'Best f---ing ball I've bowled all season, and they're clapping him!'''

Cowan gets upgrade

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The batsman at the other end when the curtain was drawn on Ponting's career has quietly banked some additional dough, having been upgraded to the minimum Cricket Australia base salary of $230,000. Ed Cowan missed out on a full Cricket Australia contract earlier this year but has now won one by playing three Tests since July. Players also take home bonuses of $5000 for every Test win and, as a team, $23,000 for a series victory over nations ranked in the top four in the world.

RP dismisses RP

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The last man to dismiss Ponting in Test cricket, Robin Peterson, is destined to become the answer to a trivia night question at your local watering hole in coming years. The pedestrian left-arm orthodox is also now one half of the most quirky of historical moments, for cricket nerds anyway. When was the last time a player with the same initials, in this instance RP, ended another player's career?

Cutting above

Remember Ben Cutting? Australia's 12th man against New Zealand at the Gabba just over a year ago has dropped off the international radar due largely to injuries but also selectors looking elsewhere, to the likes of John Hastings and Josh Hazlewood. Cutting, fully fit again, has not given up hope of catching the eye of John Inverarity and selectors again though, and is keen to pinch a few tips this week from Dale Steyn, who will join him in the Brisbane Heat Twenty20 Big Bash League team for their clash with the Hobart Hurricanes at the Gabba on Sunday. ''I'll be picking his brain, but I won't be facing him in the nets. I'll be asking for throwdowns thanks,'' he said.

Sehwag's distaste

Many players have nominated the SCG as one of their favourite grounds over the years and Virender Sehwag is among them. Sehwag's reason, however, is a little different. It's the tucker served to the players that has won him over, and which similarly fuels his distaste for Kolkata's Eden Gardens, run by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and the venue for India's third Test against England. ''I love the food served at Lord's, in Sydney, in Ahmedabad,'' he said. ''But I am never happy with food served by CAB.'' The batsman knows his food - he opened a vegetarian noshery called Sehwag Favourites in Delhi in 2005.